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Seahawks Sign Ex Steelers 1st-Round Pick LB Devin Bush; Bobby Wagner Next?

Desperate for help at linebacker, the Seattle Seahawks finally landed a viable starter by quickly striking a deal with former Michigan star Devin Bush.

Corbin K. Smith

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Following a successful visit with the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the day, free agent linebacker Devin Bush will take his talents to the Pacific Northwest.

According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times and as confirmed by multiple sources to AllSeahawks, Bush and the Seahawks agreed to terms on Thursday night. Contract length and total compensation have yet to be revealed.

Bush, a former first-round pick out of Michigan, became an immediate starter with the Steelers in 2019. However, he battled persistent injuries during four seasons in the Steel City, including tearing his ACL after only five games during the 2020 campaign and missing three games with a foot injury in 2021.

Opening his career with a bang, Bush finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 after recording 109 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble returned for a touchdown. But once the injuries started piling up, his production dipped a bit over the next three years, as he only made 71 tackles in 14 starts in 2021 coming off of the ACL tear and finished with 81 tackles in 17 starts a year ago.

In coverage, per Pro Football Focus, Bush allowed opponents to complete north of 75 percent of their passes and throw three touchdowns when targeting him. On a positive note, he did produce four pass breakups in 2021.

On the smaller side at 5-foot-11, 234 pounds, Bush may not seem like the best fit for a 3-4 scheme like the one Seattle transitioned to last year and struggled working off of blocks at times in Pittsburgh. However, he's a phenomenal athlete and posted ridiculous testing numbers at the 2019 NFL Combine, including running a sub-4.45 40-yard dash, jumping 40.5 inches vertically, and posting a blazing 6.93-secod 3-cone drill.

Just 24 years old, Bush joins the Seahawks as a potential low-cost, high-reward signing at a position where they currently don't have a healthy starter on the roster and could play into long-term plans if he excels. Jordyn Brooks underwent ACL surgery in January and his status for the start of next season remains uncertain, while Cody Barton signed a one-year deal with the Commanders on Wednesday.

With Bush now in the fold, Seattle may still explore signing another veteran linebacker, including bringing back future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner. The team could also opt to wait until the draft to address the position again.

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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.

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